Chapter Forty-Two: Mie Nishikawa - Declaration of Crime

When Miharu Nishikawa appeared, Chen Zi'ang's consciousness had already awakened. However, having just experienced death, his mind could not yet fully control his body, so he had to rely on Tsukimi Suzuna's support and help to move.

But then, Nishikawa Miharu's confession utterly shocked him.

The problem of abandoned stray dogs was a mess in North Pole City. At its root, the cause lay in the "Ecological Protection Act No. 1"—a law that forcibly prohibited killing animals in any form.

If killing stray dogs was forbidden, what was to be done when they attacked people?

Pet dogs were close to humans, mostly domesticated and restrained by their owners. Wild wolf packs lacked domestication and restraint but usually lived far from North Pole City. Neither posed much danger to society.

The trouble lay with the "abandoned stray dogs," caught in the middle: no longer restrained by owners, gradually losing their domestication, and becoming increasingly risky.

If a newly abandoned, lone stray dog was regularly fed by compassionate citizens, it might just barely maintain its domesticated state.

But when groups of three or five formed social bonds, bred for several generations without domestication, with their pups accustomed to collective foraging—even hunting—the probability of these wild dog packs attacking citizens rose dramatically.

Dangerous wild dogs in the city were handled by the Civil Section Three of the North Pole City Public Security Bureau. Since the law forbade killing stray dogs, they would usually be sent to animal shelters.

Almost all animal shelters in North Pole City were private, profit-driven businesses. Although they claimed to help stray dogs find new owners, their essence was commercial—they only selected well-bred, domesticated, and marketable dogs to take in.

And those mongrels, ugly, fierce dogs prone to biting?

The answer was simple: they were taken outside North Pole City and dumped.

"Batch disposal" was impossible—for if discovered, public outrage online would erupt, and the perpetrators would face administrative penalties for breaking the law. So the only option was to catch them and dump them outside the city.

On the surface, the tragedy of Nishikawa Miharu's family seemed caused by "wild wolf packs."

But if one traced the origins of these "wild wolf packs," both the Public Security Bureau that dealt with stray dogs and the irresponsible families who abandoned their pets bore responsibility.

There was a saying: "The law does not punish the masses," and another: "The people cannot fight the officials." Whether it was those who abandoned their dogs or the apathetic Public Security Bureau, victims had no way to hold anyone accountable.

Unless the victim possessed the power to destroy everything...

At this thought, he could no longer rest. Forced to rally his not-yet-recovered mind, he struggled to open his eyes.

"Senior!" Tsukimi Suzuna cried out in delight.

"Sorry," Chen Zi'ang patted her hand, then weakly addressed Nishikawa Miharu. "I understand your grief, for I too have lost my family."

"But among us Terrans, there is a saying: 'Every debt has its debtor.' If you let hatred drive you, persecuting innocent citizens who had nothing to do with your family's tragedy, then how are you any different from those who abandoned dogs and caused the wild dog rampage outside North Pole City?"

Miharu Nishikawa gazed at him in silence, then suddenly revealed a chilling smile.

"Officer, are you trying to enlighten me? Are you attempting... to save me? Save a witch steeped in sin?"

"I have no right to save anyone," Chen Zi'ang shook his head. "I understand that revenge is a basic human instinct, but I must remind you—the true killers of your family were wild dogs. They acted not under anyone's orders, but out of animal instinct."

"If you seek vengeance, kill those wild dogs. If you hope to change things, to prevent further tragedies, then the key lies in reforming the animal protection laws. No matter what, killing more innocents will solve nothing."

He tried to stand on his own, but failed. Tsukimi Suzuna quickly helped him once more.

"It sounds convincing," Miharu Nishikawa said with a smile, "but why do you think I haven't tried?"

"Officer, the threat wild dogs pose to remote towns has persisted for over a decade. Why do you think North Pole City has done nothing?"

"Change isn't achieved overnight..." Chen Zi'ang struggled to explain, but Miharu Nishikawa interrupted him harshly.

"Don't lie! Isn't the real reason obvious? We rural folk simply don't matter!"

Her expression twisted with rage, a hatred so intense it seemed she might devour anyone.

"Every piece of news about wild dog rampages gets no attention online, let alone enough to sway votes or alert politicians. You citizens of North Pole City think the towns are too distant, their problems irrelevant—so you don't even bother paying attention, do you?"

"Even a dog, even a celebrity's dog dying, sees countless people commenting 'Rest well, puppy.' But when rural folk are bitten to death by wild dogs? Do you know how many die each year because of these beasts? Who has ever received real attention or help—even the barest sympathy or pity?!"

Nishikawa Miharu's fury did not last long, gradually subsiding into a darker emotion—a deep, cold calm.

"Change isn't achieved overnight. If someone would speak up for us, perhaps the future might improve."

"But I can't wait."

Her smile grew stranger.

"Because, every time I see you citizens walking your dogs in sunlit parks, I can't help but remember the scattered bones of my poor husband and child—still being digested inside those wild dogs."

"And every time, I lose control—I hate you all. Everyone."

Her voice finally fell quiet. Chen Zi'ang wanted to say more, but Tsukimi Suzuna tugged at his sleeve.

"No need to persuade her, Senior," she whispered.

For a witch who has utterly fallen, her pain is the anchor that binds her to this world—her deepest obsession, her sole motivation to live, something that cannot easily be erased.

The idea of talking a villain out of their ways is nothing more than a fantasy unique to anime.

"I've figured it out long ago!" Nishikawa Miharu laughed madly, and behind her, countless figures began to appear.

"You citizens of North Pole City don't care about us lowly rural folk, so I needn't understand you either!"

From the darkness, those figures slowly took shape—hundreds of decaying, savage ghouls, densely packed, blocking all routes of escape.

"Officer, let's play a game of 'catch the criminal,'" Nishikawa Miharu smiled. "Either you kill me in the name of justice before I commit unspeakable crimes..."

"Or I will drag the entire North Pole Metropolitan Area—along with its two billion citizens—into a bottomless hell."